The New Alliance: A new direction needed

Finally, the Leadership Council must do a better job of connecting globaland national-level dialogue. At present a significant gap exists between the high-level discussions of the LC and those taking place at the national level. Increasing communication and dialogue between actors at these different levels can provide an additional means of bringing much needed accountability to the New Alliance.

On paper, the New Alliance recognizes the need to promote standards and safeguards that can effectively guide company investments and policy reforms.

In practice, much more needs to be done to support better governance of land and seeds and to avoid harm to small-scale producers. Each CFA includes the commitment that all parties in the New Alliance will „take account of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security [VGGTs]… as well as the Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment [PRAI] developed 29

by IFAD, FAO, UNCTAD and the World Bank‟. Further, there is general language affirming an agreement to develop „pilot implementation programs‟ in New Alliance countries.

At both the global and country levels, there has been limited discussion about 30 how the New Alliance will support the implementation of the VGGTs. Given the substantial number of policy reform commitments directly relating to land tenure and the management of natural resources, this is clearly an area where immediate attention is needed.

To address this concern, the VGGTs need to be implemented in full, not just those that facilitate private investment. Many of the proposed land policy reforms are designed to streamline processes to facilitate land transfers or the allocation of state land. On the other hand, the majority of CFAs do not include policy changes to implement or strengthen safeguard mechanisms to protect tenure rights, especially for poor and marginalized communities. These too are a part of 31 the VGGTs. CFAs rightly point to the need to situate implementation of the VGGTs within a broader set of guidance on responsible investments in agriculture. At the moment, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is leading a process to develop just such standards – a process that should conclude in 2014. In light of this effort, use of the existing PRAI is inappropriate, even if on a pilot basis. Currently, the PRAI lack legitimacy; they were not developed in a consultative manner. They have also 32 been criticized for being vague and lacking a framework for implementation.

In the meantime, governments should promote and investors should adopt the most robust existing standards to plan and measure the impact of their investment activities, such as the International Finance Corporation‟s 33 34 performance standards and UN human rights norms. And clear, accessible redress mechanisms need to be available in instances where community complaints arise.

The application of standards and safeguards in the New Alliance can ensure that policy reforms and company investments not only „do no harm‟ to the surrounding communities where investments are made, but that they actively and positively affect the livelihoods of small-scale producers, particularly women, while also contributing to environmental sustainability. This, after all, is a goal of 9